Gas pilot light control



Dec. 4,1934. E, L HALL ET AL l GAS PILOT LIGHT CONTROL Filed April 24, 1935 Patented Dec. 4, 1934 UNITED 'STATES PATENT OFFICE GAS PILOT LIGHT CONTROL Application April 24, 193s, serial No. 667,649

5 Claims.

The present invention relates to gas pilot lights. -A widely employed means for igniting gas range burners provides a pilot burner centrally located with respect to the cooking burners which pilot 5 burner may be continuously supplied with a small supply of gas and at the time of turning on the gas to the cooking burner may be supplied with a larger flow producing 'a torch which is projected 'to the cooking burner igniting the gas issuing from itsports. A widelyused ignition device of this type is the Rutz lighter which provides'a push button valve for admitting the larger or torch ow to the pilot and a needle valve controlled bypass channel in the valve body around the valve to pass a small quantity of gas for the normal pilot flame.

These lighters are a continual source of trouble to the gas distributing company in many situations due to outage of the pilot caused by stop- .page of the needle valve. 'I'he needle valve orifice when adjusted for the desired low consumption of the pilot is extremely narrow. For instance, .when adjusted for a pilot gas iiow of from 0.2 to 0.3 cu. ft. per hour under a gas pressure of 31/2 inches of water, the needle valve orifice may be :only .00028 inch wide. These orifices readily clog -with dust particles, which is the chief cause of stoppage in some situations, or in other situationsespecially where coke oven gas is distributed the 130. stoppage may be caused by minute particles of gummy material formed in the gas and not prevented by ordinary puriflcation methods, or the stoppage may be caused by mixtures of gum and dust. These gum particles are extremely small 35. but the larger particlesiipproach in order of magnitude the width of the needle valve orifice. It requires only a very small quantity` of dust to block 4the orifices and a still more minute quantity of Under higher pressures, for the same consumption, the width of the needle valve orifice is even narrower and is still more liable to stoppage.

We have found that if the orice control is abandoned and the flow of gas to the pilot is con- ,45 trolled by causing the gas to pass through a long discs'may be of relatively small diameter and yet provide a long groove for the gas flow. For instance, a groove .035 inch wide and having the cross sectional area of a circle .035 inch in diameter may be readily formed in spirals each 1'7 inches long on the two iiat sides of a disc 11/8 60 inches in diameter and l/ inch thick. The length of groove required will dependupon gas pressure conditions existing and upon the desired iiow. The width and depth of the above described groove are over 100 times the width of the adjust- 65 ed needle valve orifice given above. The groove may be of greater cross sectional dimensions provided the length is arranged for the proper iiow. We prefer not to have the width or depth of the groove less than .02 inch as below that g'ure the 70 danger of stoppage is increased although there is a considerable range below which is an improvement upon the needle valve orifice.

In actual test, we have burned pilots controlled by such grooved discs, with a groove of approximately the cross sectional dimensions first above given, in parallel and simultaneously with pilots controlled by Rutz lighters properly adjusted for the same typical range pilot flow of 0.2 to 0.3 cu. ft. per hour. All pilots received coal gas from the same storage holder. The gas was inoculated with gum forming constituents to give an accelerated test. The disc controlled pilot had burned continuously and was still burning at the end of twenty-five days with no apparent `diminution of flame, while the best of the Rutz needle valve controlled pilots went out twentythree times in that. period due to stoppage of the needle valve. The outage of the needle valve controlled pilots was not always noted immedi- .ately as when they went out at night, so that they were not always cleaned and put backin service immediately making the comparison even more in favor of the disc controlled pilots than above indicated. 95

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of a combination'of the grooved plate pilot flow control with a torch ow control such as that provided in the Ruta lighter.

The invention will be described in connection. with the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this specification and which shows forms of the invention chosen for illustration, and in which Figure 1 shows principally in cross section a torch flow valve combined with a spirally grooved disc for controlling the pilot flow.

Figure 2 shows principally in cross section a torch flow valve combined with spirally grooved no annular disc for controlling the pilot flow, with the torch flow passing through the disc.

Figure 3 shows a spirally grooved disc pilot control combined with the push button of a torch flow control valve,

Figure 4 shows principally in elevation the apparatus of Figure 1 connected to the burner bar ofa gas range and to a pilot burner, and Fig. 5 is a face view of one of the parts illustrated in Figure 2, and showing a spiral groove.

Referring to Fig. 1-1 generally indicates the lighter valve body which is provided with the threaded lug 2 adapted to be engaged in a tapped hole in a range burner bar. 3 is a gas passage leading to the cylindrical valve chamber 4 which is threaded to receive the threaded cylindrical valve seat member 5. 6 is a valve provided with the stem 7, which is threaded and screwed into the push button 8, which slides in an extension of the member 5. 'Ihe spring 9 arranged in a stuiiing box chamber 10, serves to hold the valve against the seat. 11 indicates packing to prevent gas leakage between the valve stem and the seat member. The seat member is provided with the ports 12 which are in communication with the torch flow outlet passage 13. The threaded opening 14 is provided to receive the pipe (not shown) leading to the pilot burner.

15 indicates a pilot flow by-pass passage which leads from the passage 3 and registers with an annular groove 16 in the disc 17. The spiral grove 18 isin communication with the annular groove 16 and extends inward across the face of the disc to the passage 19 which extends through the disc to the inner end of a spiral groove 20 formed in the lower face of the disc and extending outward across the lower face to the passage 21 which extends through the disc to an annular groove 22 in the upper face. This groove 22 is not in communication with the annular groove 16 or the spiral groove 18 on the upper face of the disc except through the spiral groove 20 in the lower face. The annular groove 22 is in communication with the by-pass passage 23 in the valve body and leads upward to the opening 14. The lower portion of the valve body is faced to form a bounding surface for the grooves on the upper face of the disc and is provided with threads to engage those of the cover 24 and permit the disc to be held tightly between the surface of the cover and the valve body.

Externally vthe cover may be arranged in the form of a hexagonal nut.

If desired a lug may be formed on the disc cooperating with a recess in the cover to prevent the disc from being put on with the wrong fac presented to the valve body.

'I'he provision of the annular grooves insures registry with the by-pass passages in the valve body no matter how the disc may be rotated if the proper face is presented to the valve body.

Referring to Fig. 4--25 indicates the burner bar of a gas range to which the apparatus of Fig. 1 (indicated as 26) is connected, 27 is the pipe leading to the pilot burner 28. 29 is a cooking burner supplied with gas from the burner bar through pipe 30 as controlled by cock 31.

In the operation of the apparatus of Figs. 1 and 4, the pilot burner burns continuously, gas passing from the burner bar through passage 3 and the by-pass passage 15 to the annular groove 16 on disc 17, thence through the spiral groove 18 in the upper face of the disc and through the passage 19 through the disc to and through. the spiral groove 20 in the lower face of the disc'to the passage 21 through the disc and to the annular groove4 22 in the upper face of the disc. From the annular groove 22 the gas ows through bypass passage 23 to .the opening 14 and thence through pipe 27 to the pilot burner 28. When the burner is to be ignited, th'e cock 31 is turned admitting gas to the burner 29 through pipe 30. At the same time the push button 8 is pushed down, lowering the valve 6 from the seat 5 and ypermitting a Alarger ilow of gas to pass through the ports 12 and the passage 13 to the pipe 27 and the pilot burner 28, projecting a torch flame to the burner 29 and igniting the gas issuing from its ports. The push button is then released and the spring 9 returns the valve 6 to the seat shuting oi the torch flow, while the small pilot flow continues, controlled by the ow of the gas through the relatively long capillary passage provided by the grooves of the disc.

Referring to Fig. 2-This figure shows a modication of the apparatus of Fig. 1. Parts which are same as in Fig. 1 are given the same numbers.

1 is the valve body, 2 the threaded lug for connection to the burner bar, 3 the gas inlet passage to the valve chamber, 5 is the valve seat member; 6 the valve provided with stem 7,l 8 the push but-v ton, 9 the spring, l0 the stuiiing box chamber,

11 the packing, 12 the torch iiow ports, and 13 the torch ow outlet passage, all the same as in Fig. 1 except for changes in the form of the valve body, which is provided with the faced boss 32; threaded to engage the cover 33, which holds the disc 34 tightly against the face of the valve body. 'I'he pilot flow by-pass passage 35 leads from the inlet side of the valve chamber 4 to the face of the boss 32 and registers with the annular groove 36 ci; the disc 34. Communicating with the an# nular groove 36 is the spiral groove 37 which extends across the face of the disc to the passage 38 which extends through the disc to the spiral groove 39 which extends inwardly across the other face of the disc and terminates in the annular groove 40. 'Ihe disc is provided with a large central passage 41 which communicates with the torch iiow passage 13 in the valve body and with the passage 42 through the cover, with which-the annular groove 40'also communicates. The passage 42 is threaded to receive the pipe (not shown in this figure) leading to the pilot burner.

The; apparatus of Fig. 2 may be connected exactly as shown in Fig. 4 for that of .1. I

In operation the gas passes continuously to the pilot burner from the burner bar through pas-` sage 3, the inlet side of the valve chamber 4passage 35, annular groove 36, spiral groove 37, passage 38 through the disc, spiral groove 39, into the annular groove 40 and the passage 42. From there it passesthrough pipe 27 (Fig. 4) to the pilot burner.

When the cooking burner is turned on andthe push button pressed down lowering the valve 6, the larger torch flow passes through the passage 13 in the valve body, through the passage 41 in the disc and thence to the pilot burner producin the igniting torch as before described.

In the apparatus of Fig. 2 the two faces of the control disc are identical and the. disc may be faced either way, the provision of the annular grooves insures registry with the passage 35 no matter how the disc may be rotated.

Referring to Fig. 3-This figure shows a second modiication of the apparatus of Fig. 1 in which the pilot flow control disc is arranged as part of the push button. This arrangement permits employing the valve bodies of present lighters with;

nesaeav packing, 12 the torch ow ports in the valve seat member, 13 the torch flow passage to the threaded passage 14 into which is connected the pipe leading to the pilot burner.

These are essentially the same as in Fig. 1

with the following exceptions. The valve body is.

provided with no pilot fiovv, by-pass passage. This passage is provided through the valve stem and comprises two ducts 43 and 44.- Duct 43 leads from the inlet side of the valve chamber 4 through the center of the valve stem and registers with a central passage 45 in the disc 46. This passage 45 is connected to the spiral groove 47 in the upper surface of the disc which extends outward to the passage 484 leading through the disc to the spiral groove 49 on the lower surface of the disc'. 'Ihis spiral groove terminates in the annular groove 50, with which the ofi center duct 44 in the valve stem registers. Duct 44 leads to the outlet side of the valve chamber 4. The push button is divided into a faced lower plate 50' andan upper cover 51. 'Ihe two are threaded so that the cover may be screwed on tightly holding the disc against their respective surfaces. If desired a lug may be provided on the disc cooperatingwith a recess in the cover to prevent the disc being put in upside down. The annular groove 50 permits registry of the ducts no matter how the disc is rotated if properly faced.

The apparatus of Fig. 3 may replace that of Fig. 1 in Fig. 4 without other change.

In operation, the torch iiow takes place in the same,manner as described in connection with Fig. 1. The pilot flow passes continuously from the burner bar through passage 3, the valve chamber 4, duct 43, passage 45, spiral groove 47 in the upper face of the disc,'passage 48 to the -spiral groove 49 in the lower face of the disc,

thence to the annular'groove 50 and duct 44 to the outlet side of the valve chamber and through ports 12, passages 13 and 14 to the pipe 27 leading to the pilot burner 28.

The apparatus of the invention provides a compact modification of present torch type igniters in which the needle valve pilot flow control is replaced by means which greatly minimize the danger of pilot ou`tage. Should stoppage occur the control disc may be`readi1y taken out and cleaned..

The discs may be cheaply manufactured in quantity by die casting or stamping, and by these methods made with suflicient accuracy not to require calibration.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates that modifications may be made in details of construction and ary the torch gas way through the boss and through rangement and matters of mere form without departing from the spiritv of the invention which is not limitedl to such matters, or otherwise `than the prior art and the appended claims may require.

We claim:

1. A gas pilot light control comprising in combination a valve body having a torch gas way, a spring push button valve interposed in the torch gas way, a by-pass on each side of the valve from the torch gas way to the exterior of the body, a Idisc having on each face a spiral groove in communication at the peripheral end with an annular groove, the spiral grooves communicating through the disc at their central ends, said annular grooves communicating with said bypasses, and a cover overlying said disc and engaging the body and holding the disc up to the same.

2. A gas pilot light control comprising in combination. a valve body having a torch gas Way and a faced boss through which the gas way extends, a spring push button valve interposed in the torch gas way, a by-pass connection from the face thereof, a cover having a gas passage, and a centrally perforated disc interposed between the face of the boss and the cover and having on its opposite sides spiral grooves which communicate at one end through the disc and which at their other ends communicate with the by-pass connection and with the gas passage, the central perforationzof the disk being aligned with the gas torch Way.

3. A gas pilot light control comprising, in combination, a valve body having a torch gas Way, a spring push button valve interposed in the torch gas way, a by-pass connection past or around 'the valve, a cover, and a disc held by the cover and having upon its faces interconnected spiral l I grooves interposed in and in communication with the by-pass connection and with the outlet of the torch gas way.

4. A gas pilot light control comprising, in combination, a valve body having a torch gas way, a spring pressed push button valve interposed in the torch gas way, a faced valve stem having generally axial ports to theinlet and outlet sides of said valve andl through the faced portion of the valve stem, a cover for the faced portion of the stem, and a disc held by the cover up to the faced portion of the stem and having on its opposite faces spiral grooves which intercommunicate at their peripheral ends and which communicate with said ports at their inner ends.

5. Agas pilot light control comprising, in combination, a valve body'having a htorch gas way, a valve interposed in the -torch gas way, a by-pass connection past the valve,.and a disc having upon its face a spiralgrooveinterposed in the by-pass connection and communicating with the outlet ,l

portion of the torch gas way.

EDWIN L. HALL. 

